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Do You Love Me More Than These? (4 of 5)
Series: Life's Important Questions
Jerry Watts
John 21:15-17

Nelson Price is right on point when he makes this statement, ''JESUS CHRIST often endures our embarrassing abuse, denial, and betrayal only to come back compassionately to restore us to an even more meaningful love relationship with Him.'' However, the road between our fall and His divine forgiveness is a road which many find too difficult to traverse. He offers forgiveness, He wants to forgive, and He even died for our forgiveness, but there is this caveat which somehow gets lost on humanity. It could be called 'The Road Less Traveled.' Because the more I read and study God's word, the more I am convinced that no forgiveness exists where there is no repentance for sin. By repentance, we are speaking of an issue of heart and life. One's heart has to be so broken over their faults, failure, and sin, that in their life, they are both willing and ready to turn from their sin, and turn to Him. At this point, forgiveness flows like the water over Niagara Falls.

Once again we look at a very familiar story. Jesus has been crucified, been buried, and now had risen from the dead. Crucifixion day had not been the disciple's finest hour. In the Upper Room, before the betrayer came, Peter had made the grandioso statement of ''Even if everyone else abandons you, you can count on me.'' This led to all the 11 remaining disciples to express those same feelings, but certainly not in the same way. Less than 12 hours later, Jesus was on trial, 9 of the disciples were nowhere to be found, John helped Peter get inside the courtyard but was noticeably quiet, and Peter (the one who would NEVER abandon Jesus) not only denied Jesus - but swore a curse in the process. Here's the deal: Jesus knew what Peter did and Peter knew that Jesus knew as Luke tells. The scripture says that Peter went off and wept BITTERLY!

The Greek word for 'bitterly' is only used for this story (Matt an ...

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